Upated Monday 22 November 2010
The 7th Wavescape Surf Film Festival kickstarts the 2010 summer season in Cape Town with a bumper crop of adrenaline charged movies. Presented by the Save Our Seas Foundation, the festival (from December 1-19) focuses on the critical plight of our oceans, sustainable living and the development of surfing in South Africa.
The festival, supported by Quiksilver, Pick 'n Pay, Men’s Health, Cape Times and 2oceansvibe Radio, begins with the Wavescape Surfboard Art Exhibition from December 1 to 7 at the trendy Cape Town restaurant Depasco Cafe. Twelve surfboards decorated by artists will go on auction on December 8. Proceeds go to ocean charities, including the NSRI and Shark Spotters, with a special board decorated by Claire Homewood and the Masiphumelele township kids to be auctioned on behalf of the Ticket to Ride Foundation’s surfing development programme.
Also to be auctioned by funny man Mark Sampson will be a mini-surfboard reshaped from a broken board, part of the My First Surfboard Project. Every year, thousands of broken surfboards end up in dumps and landfills, and are environmentally toxic. The project turns broken boards into new boards for beginner surfers who can’t afford them, transforming junk into transforming a kid’s life.
The film section of the festival begins with the open-air free screening of Scratching the Surface on Clifton Fourth Beach on Friday December 10 after the sun goes down. The film includes cutting edge camera technology in use by pioneering surf filmmakers.
Thousands of like-minded people gather on the beach with picnics from early in the evening to enjoy a long, languid summer evening. Indoor films will be screened at the Brass Bell in Kalk Bay from December 12 to 15 and at the Labia Theatre on Orange from December 16 to 19.
Prize giveaways from official surfing sponsor Quiksilver will be randomly handed out to members of the audience throughout the festival, as well as three Sector 9 surfboards, a surfboard, a wodge of meal vouchers from Kauai and surf lesson vouchers from Learn 2 Surf.
According to curator of the festival Spike from Wavescape.co.za, the festival offers the most diverse line-up of films since the first Wavescape festival in 2004.
"There is something for everyone, from the usual soulful visuals and underground soundtracks to the unbelievable moves of surfers as they blow open the surf world with breathtaking skills. Modern Collective and Scratching the Surface showcase the outrageous aerial repetoire of the new guard, such as Julian Wilson, Dusty Payne, Dane Reynolds and South African Jordy Smith. My Eyes Won’t Dry III is Brian Conley’s amazing new movie, jampacked with in-the-tube shots juxtaposed with giant surf and gaping tubes big enough to drive a bus through them.
“Who is Job? is a no-holds barred movie by outspoken maverick Jamie O’Brien, who burns an ASP rule book and berates the surf industry, but backs up the big talk by towing into and making the gnarliest slabs imaginable. Dark Fall is an award winning film about New York surfers braving the winter to ride cranking snow flecked swells, while Idiosyncrasies is Patrick Trefz’s latest artistic offering that explores the philosophical side of surfboard shaping, riding waves and the lifestyle we hold so dear to our hearts.
"However, we also represent the darker side of surfing. The multiple award winning Sea of Darkness exposes the sometimes grisly, drug-scarred underbelly of the surf travel dream, while another award-winning film, Lives of the Artists, documents a freakish French snowboarder, crazy Irish surfers and an angry British punk band in their quest for the salt-encrusted, powder-snowed, guitar-ghettoed grail of their inner artist."
"Fibreglass and Megapixels brings to life the vivid digital world of surfing photography, featuring top South African photographer Pierre Tostee. We have also partnered with Pick ‘n Pay for a special screening of End of the Line, a scary film about the extinction of fish that has caused a global stir.”
Working with the Ticket to Ride Foundation, we also present two films about how surfing can transform the lives of the disadvantaged: Surfing Favelas (Brazil) and Somewhere in Tapachula (Mexico).”
Films are free at Clifton Fourth Beach, and R30 per person at the Labia and Brass Bell. For details call the infoline 079 0260 669 or visit www.wavescape.co.za
Big thanks to the following:
Save Our Seas Foundation, Pick ‘n Pay, Quiksilver, Men’s Health, 2oceansvibe Radio, Wavescape.co.za, Cape Times, Kauai, Learn 2 Surf, Jeff Ayliffe, Grolsh, Ticket To Ride Foundation, Mahala, Fuel TV, VAS Entertainment, Shark Spotters, Cape Void, NSRI, Save Our Seas Shark Centre, and Keiko Beatie (our amazing curator in California).
The films
(click here for summary of trailers and synopses, or click movie for individual synopsis and trailer)
Sea of Darkness
Fibreglass And Megapixels
Lives of the Artists
Modern Collective
Dark Fall
Scratching the Surface
Who is JOB?
My Eyes Won't Dry 3
Melali: The Drifter Sessions
Somewhere in Tapachula
End of the Line
Surfing Favelas
Last Paradise
Idiosyncrasies
Gum For My Boat
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